Adventure Consultants Guided Backcountry Ski Touring, NZ by Adventure Consultants

GUIDED BACKCOUNTRY SKI TOURING

2022 TRIP NOTES

GUIDED BACKCOUNTRY SKI TOURING TRIP NOTES

2022 TRIP DETAILS Dates: Available on demand July to October Duration: 5–10 days Departure: ex Wanaka, New Zealand Price: From NZ$2,630 per person Touring past impressive glaciated terrain. Photo: James Hamilton

Welcome to Adventure Consultants’ Guided Backcountry Ski Touring! These private trips offer the flexibility to choose your own dates and trip duration, plus the ability to outline any skills you would like to focus on in line with your future skiing or snowboarding objectives. You can join us as an individual for a one-on-one personalised trip, or put your own group of like-minded companions together. Our trips operate in Westland National Park, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park or Aspiring National Park, depending on where conditions are best. Each has its own huge selection of glaciers, bowls and peaks to explore while learning skills. We will be based from one of the local mountain huts after accessing the glaciers by helicopter or ski plane. This allows us to start skiing the minute we get up each morning. We offer 5 to 10-day options, which can either take the format of a Private Instruction Course or a Guide Ski Touring Trip. We are happy to arrange a longer duration option on request.

PRIVATE INSTRUCTION COURSE OPTION

Whether you aspire to further your skill base in certain areas, such as avalanche awareness, or you require individual attention from your guide to develop skills at your own pace, Private Instruction Courses are the best option. We aim to spend as much time in the mountains as possible actually skiing whilst developing skills. Initially, we will develop and reinforce skills in a contained environment and move onto more challenging terrain during the course if conditions permit. The course option is suitable for fit, motivated people who have a background in resort based skiing and snowboarding and wish to extend their skills into the backcountry.

Our Private Instruction Course option enables us to work with you to design an appropriate and stimulating course format.

Touring on the Murchison Glacier. Photo: James Hamilton

SKILLS COVERED Skills that can be taught during the course can include the following: • Rope handling skills applicable to ski mountaineering • Crevasse rescue • Avalanche awareness and safe travel • Route finding • Ski and snowboard touring techniques • Trip planning and navigation • Search and rescue techniques Factors such as weather and snow conditions may at times dictate that not all topics are covered in full.

GUIDED SKI TOURING OPTION Whether you ski or snowboard, the backcountry touring options are endless! Come by yourself— or get a group together—and fly into some of the most majestic ski and board terrain in the Southern Hemisphere! This option is suitable for those experienced skiers and boarders who have a hankering for backcountry turns with the benefits of a personalised guiding service.

TRIP OUTLINE Your trip begins at 9.00am on Day 1 at the Adventure Consultants Office in Wanaka. Following the morning introductions, your guide will present the itinerary outlining how the trip will operate.

Equipment pertinent to the trip will be discussed and you can get all the advice you need concerning equipment from the guides. Rental equipment will be fitted at this time and final purchases can be made. We then drive to our chosen destination (between 1-3 hours), load up the helicopter or plane and fly into the mountains. Leaving our gear in the hut, we’re off for a ski or board! Each day, depending on conditions, you will be touring around the glaciers while doing workshops on different aspects of ski and snowboard mountaineering techniques. A few turns are high on the list, as well as a little time to take in your surroundings. At the end of the trip, we will make our way to a lower elevation and fly back to our vehicle (weather permitting) with an approximate 5pm finish on Friday.

OUR GUIDES Adventure Consultants has a commitment to ensuring the highest standard of instruction and guiding practices. We only employ guides who share our philosophy. Our professional and experienced mountain guides will offer you the best possible learning experience, plus a safe and enjoyable time. An open and helpful approach is encouraged within the group to help communicate and reinforce the learning process. Our guides are all NZMGA and/or IFMGA internationally qualified. They have been trained and assessed through the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association and operate to the high standards and guidelines set out by the Association.

Utilise helicopter access into the mountains. Photo: Andy Cole

Skiing alongside the Franz Josef Glacier. Photo: Camilla Rutherford

TEAM SIZE Each trip will run with a minimum of 1 participant and 1 guide and a maximum size of 8 participants and 2 guides.

WEATHER Weather is an integral facet of any mountain range and getting to understand and work with this major environmental factor is what will distinguish you from the others. The New Zealand weather can be fierce but also benign. A climber who learns to optimise their opportunities here will have the skills to climb in any other mountain environment on Earth. Our backcountry skiing and snowboarding season runs from July through to October. Our experience with New Zealand weather shows that August has more stable weather conditions and in October the glaciers are ‘nice and full’ (fewer crevasses) with longer days and warmer weather. Daylight hours are approximately 9 hours in winter. Temperatures can drop to as low as -10°C and could rise to as high as 15°C.

You can choose to incorporate skills sessions. Photo: Andy Cole

On your trip, it is probable that some adverse weather may affect our touring plans, however we will attempt to anticipate what best moves to make for the positive outcome of the course. If adverse weather affects our access into the high mountains, we can utilise the excellent backcountry skiing terrain accessible around Wanaka with day trips until it improves. Adventure Consultants reserves the right to cancel or alter the course at any time, if the glaciers are not in condition due to climatic influences or if the mountain conditions are perceived by Adventure Consultants as being too hazardous. However, if this happens, we will endeavour to find alternative touring venues for the course to take place.

EQUIPMENT Skiing and climbing in winter in the New Zealand mountains requires good personal gear due to the potential cold weather conditions. Our focus is on having the essential clothing and equipment, whilst keeping pack weights as light as possible for your comfort and ease of travel.

Stay in New Zealand’s classic alpine huts. Photo: Elmo Cotter

We carry a good range of modern rental equipment. If you will be renting equipment from us please advise your requirements in advance to ensure correct sizing and availability. If you intend to buy any equipment items, we are happy to advise on recommended brands and models, and of key importance, their suitability to the type of activity. We offer our clients discounted prices on a selection of climbing equipment and clothing, and can arrange for the equipment to be available upon your arrival. Upon receipt of your deposit and registration form, we will send out a comprehensive equipment list. Your guide will go through this with you prior to the trip. All group equipment will be organised by your guide. For snowboarders, we can we can assist you in hiring a splitboard, and for skiers we have a rental fleet of wide touring skis and skins, plus a selection of touring boots.

FITNESS & HEALTH To make the most of your skiing experience we encourage you to work on your fitness and skiing/ snowboarding prior to the trip. You need to be a strong intermediate skier or snowboarder to get the most out of the trip. Your guide will place special focus on fitness levels and will regulate the pace accordingly. Our registration form requests that you advise us of any medical problems you may have and of any medication you are taking. Any information you supply will be treated as confidential.

FOOD We place emphasis on providing nutritious meals and a good supply of snack food throughout the trip. If you have any special dietary requirements, please advise us at the time of registration. For special diets such as vegan and gluten/dairy free, we will call you to discuss your needs and how this will work in the group cooking situation.

ACCOMMODATION Adventure Consultants will provide your accommodation while the course is running which is from 9.00am on Day 1 until 5.00pm on the last day of your trip. All food and accommodation outside this time will be at your expense. When in the mountains you will stay in mountain huts with shared bunkrooms and basic facilities. There are no single rooms available and unlike European huts, you need to provide your own sleeping bag. Some mountain nights may be spent in tents or bivvies where you will be more exposed to the elements, but the final decision on this will be made by the guides after weighing up all the factors. For overnights in Fox Glacier and Aoraki Mount Cook villages you will be accommodated in dormitory style Alpine Club huts and in Wanaka, dormitory style backpackers with shared bathroom facilities. You may decide to upgrade to single accommodation in Wanaka at your own expense, should you desire.

TRAVEL TO WANAKA We commence the Guided Backcountry Ski Touring trips from our base in Wanaka.

Enjoy a private guided itinerary tailored to you. Photo: Adrian Camm

Air New Zealand and Qantas/Jetstar provide daily flights from Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington to Queenstown. There are also direct international flights from most major Australian cities to Queenstown. A shuttle service operates several times daily between Queenstown and Wanaka (approximately one hour driving time and at a cost from NZ$35 each way), check https://www.ritchies.co.nz/wanaka for details. Bus services operate daily between Christchurch and Wanaka (approximately 6 hours travel time). Wanaka has a range of accommodation from backpackers, youth hostels, motels and hotels to luxury lodges. We are happy to assist with your accommodation and bus transfer arrangements. You will need to arrive in town the night prior to your trip commencing. Please give us a call to confirm your arrival in town.

plentiful winter activity and all year-round fishing, boating, mountain biking and numerous other recreational activities abound.

INSURANCE We highly recommend that you take out trip cancellation insurance via your travel agent. Trip cancellation insurance is usually packaged with your travel insurance and covers loss of deposit should you not be able to make the trip for personal reasons or have a mishap prior to/or whilst on our trips. Whilst our focus is on safety and our track record supports this, the mountains do have hazards and there is always the potential for mishap. If you were injured whilst on the trip the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) will pay rescue costs, however, you may not be eligible for bulk compensation payments. You are responsible for any medical or evacuation costs beyond the cover provided by ACC.

You will find some of New Zealand’s best sport climbing in the Matukituki Valley, the gateway to the Mount Aspiring region and just a 10-minute drive from our office. Three ski resorts provide

Ski terrain unlike any skifield! Photo: Andy Cole

Options to come alone or with a group of friends. Photo: Adrian Camm

Ski vast untracked powder. Photo: Adrian Camm

COURSE FEE

PAYMENT DETAILS

The trip fees are detailed below and in New Zealand dollars:

All payments should be made by bank transfer to the following bank and account:

NO.OF DAYS

1 PERSON

2 PEOPLE 3 PEOPLE 4 PEOPLE (EACH) (EACH) (EACH)

NZ$7150

NZ$3950

NZ$3130

NZ$2630

NZ$7850

NZ$4350

NZ$3450

NZ$2950

NZ$8750

NZ$4780

NZ$3800

NZ$3250

NZ$9650

NZ$5330

NZ$4250

NZ$3580

NZ$10350 NZ$5730

NZ$4580

NZ$3880

The price includes: • Guide and permit fees • All trip-related meals and energy foods • Hut fees • Group technical equipment • Avalanche rescue equipment • Handbooks—‘A Climber’s Guide to New Zealand Mountaineering Techniques’ by Guy Cotter and Mark Sedon, ‘Avalanche Awareness in the New Zealand Backcountry’ by Penny Goddard • Helicopter/plane access and egress flights and landing fees • 15% NZ Goods and Services Tax Contents Copyright © Adventure Consultants Ltd 2022

Bank: Bank of New Zealand For the Account of: Adventure Consultants Limited Account Number: 02 0673 0043443 00 Account Type: NZ Dollars NOTE: All bank transfer charges are for the remitter’s account. We also accept your deposit and balance payment by credit card (Visa, Mastercard and Amex) plus a 3% card charge.

DEPOSIT To secure a place on the course, we require a completed Registration Form and a NZ$1,000 deposit.

BALANCE The balance of payment is then due 60 days prior to the start date.

Taking in the granduer of the surrounding terrain. Photo: Andy Cole

CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY

• Cancellations outside of 60 days incur a NZ$500 cancellation fee. • For cancellations made within 60 days of the trip commencement date we reserve the right to retain 50% of the full fee. • For cancellations made within 30 days of the trip commencement date, we reserve the right to retain 75% of the full fee. • For cancellations within 15 days of the departure date a cancellation fee of 100% of the full fee applies.

If you require more information, please contact us at: Adventure Consultants Ltd PO Box 739 Wanaka 9343 New Zealand Phone: +64 3 443 8711 Email: info@adventure.co.nz Web: www.adventureconsultants.com

We recommend you take out trip cancellation insurance via your travel agent if you wish to be covered against cancellation due to medical or personal reasons.

HOW TO JOIN THIS TRIP If you would like to join one of our Guided Backcountry Ski Touring trips, please complete our online booking form and forward your deposit payment at https://www.adventureconsultants. com/skiing/new-zealand-guided-ski-touring/guidedbackcountry-ski-touring-nz/book-now.

Take your skiing to another level. Photo: Thomas Vialletet

Adventure Consultants is affiliated to the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association (NZMGA), New Zealand Alpine Club (NZAC) and a corporate member of the American Alpine Club (AAC). Adventure Consultants is a supporter of the dZi Foundation in Nepal for their ‘Revitalise a Village’ programmes. Adventure Consultants perform to IFMGA/UIAGM standards and are world leaders in high altitude guiding.